Doug McMurdy

Doug McMurdy (February 9, 1926 – May 16, 2010) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, and coach. He played both centre and defence, and skated for 376 games in the American Hockey League, mostly with the Springfield Indians. McMurdy was the inaugural winner of the Red Tilson Trophy, as the most outstanding player in the Ontario Hockey Association (later known as the Ontario Hockey League) in 1945.[1]

Doug McMurdy
Born (1926-02-09)February 9, 1926
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Died May 16, 2010(2010-05-16) (aged 84)
West Brookfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Centre / Defence
Shot Left
Played for Springfield Indians
Syracuse Warriors
Pittsburgh Hornets
Playing career 1945–1959

Amateur career

Doug McMurdy was born on February 9, 1926, in Winnipeg, Manitoba.[2] He was brought to the St. Catharines Falcons for the 1943–44 OHA season by fellow Manitoban and coach Rudy Pilous.[3] In his second year of junior hockey, McMurdy won the inaugural Red Tilson Trophy for the 1944–45 OHA season as the most valuable player, and was the top scoring defenceman in the league.[3]

Professional career

McMurdy signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1945, for a salary of $5000 and bonus of $1200. He was converted to a centre by Leafs coach Hap Day, and assigned to the minor leagues.[3] His first season in the AHL was played with the Pittsburgh Hornets, then two seasons with the Tulsa Oilers in the United States Hockey League.

McMurdy was traded to Springfield in 1948, and played the next nine seasons under the control of team owner, Eddie Shore. Teams in the National Hockey League inquired about McMurdy, but Shore declined offers to sell or trade him.[3][4] When Shore moved his AHL team to Syracuse, he assigned McMurdy to the farm team in Springfield partway though the 1951–52 season. McMurdy was named the player–coach for the Springfield Indians for the next two seasons.[5][6][7] He led the Springfield Indians to the Walker Cup as regular season champions in the Eastern Amateur Hockey League in 1952–53,[7] but the Indians lost in the playoff finals to the Johnstown Jets.[8] McMurdy and the Indians moved up to the Quebec Hockey League for the 1953–54 season. The team struggled and finished last place. Shore returned his AHL team to Springfield in 1954, and McMurdy played the next three seasons in the AHL with the Indians. He finished his AHL career in Springfield with 85 goals, 182 assists, and 267 points in 286 games.

McMurdy played the 1957–58 season with the Trois-Rivières Lions in the QHL, then finished his career playing defence for New Haven Blades in the 1958–59 season.[9]

Later life and honours

McMurdy was inducted into Springfield Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000.[3][9] He died on May 16, 2010, in West Brookfield, Massachusetts.[10]

Playing statistics

Career statistics as a player.[2]

    Regular Season   Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1943–44St. Catharines FalconsOHA——————————
1944–45St. Catharines FalconsOHA——————————
1945–46Pittsburgh HornetsAHL4272532660332
1946–47Tulsa OilersUSHL5919345343—0110
1947–48Tulsa OilersUSHL6520406035—1120
1948–49Springfield IndiansAHL572739661430770
1949–50Springfield IndiansAHL661733502523030
1950–51Springfield IndiansAHL22210120—————
1951–52Syracuse WarriorsAHL4822133522—————
1951–52Springfield IndiansEAHL121116274—————
1952–53Springfield IndiansEAHL171315283374376
1953–54Springfield IndiansQHL6915385378—————
1954–55Springfield IndiansAHL521939583240332
1955–56Springfield IndiansAHL4214334722—————
1956–57Springfield IndiansAHL476283420—————
1957–58Trois-Rivières LionsQHL1015612—————
1958–59New Haven BladesEHL56823314850110
AHL totals37611422033414115313164
USHL totals124397411378—1230
EAHL/EHL totals8532548685124486
QHL totals7916435990—————

Coaching statistics

Career statistics as a player-coach.[5][6][8]

SeasonTeamLeagueRegular seasonPlayoffs
GWLTPtsFinishResult
1952–53Springfield Indians EAHL6039192801st in EAHLLost in finals
1953–54Springfield Indians QHL7225407577th in QHLMissed playoffs
Total132645991371 division title

References
  1. "OHL Awards". Ontario Hockey League. Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. "Doug McMurdy hockey statistics and profile". hockeydb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  3. Hewitt, John (June 3, 2010). "Former Falcon McMurdy dead at 84". St. Catharines Standard. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  4. Hiam, C. Michael (2010). Eddie Shore and That Old-Time Hockey. Toronto, Ontario: McClelland & Stewart Ltd. pp. 291–293. ISBN 978-0-7710-4129-7.
  5. "1952–53 Eastern Hockey League [EHL] standings". hockeydb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  6. "1953-54 Quebec Hockey League [QHL] standings". hockeydb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  7. Mancuso, Jim (2005). Hockey in Springfield. Great Britain: Arcadia Publishing. pp. 119–121. ISBN 0-7385-3927-9.
  8. "1952–53 EHL Playoff Results". hockeydb.com. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  9. Telaar, Tom (May 28, 2010). "Doug McMurdy – New Haven Blades 1958–59". Eastern Hockey League (1954–73). Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  10. "Doug McMurdy – Obituaries". Your Life Moments. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
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